January 20, 2009 (Kearny, NJ).  This week our member Town Tec, the webmaster for Kearny's Official Town Website, announced that the official Kearny Town Website would not contain a link to Kearny On The Web.  The rationale for not linking KOTW was set forth by the town's website as follows:

"The KOTW shouldn’t be in the town website, anyone can say anything here good or bad though mostly bad. The town web site is a place where one can get information about the town and should put a positive light on the town. In the KOTW anyone can say anything without any fact check. I posted an article about my friend / coworker that died and underneath my post it still say’s “Reason for edit: KOTW Note: The above information has not been confirmed. “ It was posted in the Observer and anyone can call the town itself to get it verified yet it still has the statement. If companies really believe half the stuff they post in here no one will ever want to come to Kearny let alone live here. My job is to help the town and employees, do you think it would be wise to post a website were anyone can say anything without any fact checking. There one article here in the forum about the town getting sue for 25 million dollars, but for some reason it miss all the papers.
KOTW link is posted in the library website because the library is for community discussion good or bad."

Our response posted on our Discussion Board to the above statement:

"I am disappointed that Kearny's official website will not have a link to KOTW. I'm glad that Google thinks that KOTW has relevant information on Kearny NJ. Do a search on Google for Kearny NJ and KOTW is number four. Obviously, people are finding KOTW without a link from the Town of Kearny's official town website.

KOTW has always been about allowing individuals to discuss issues without censorship. There have been and will continue to be some excellent discussions on KOTW. Most (if not all) of the information posted on KOTW is accurate. KOTW continues to play an important role in our community.

Please state the guidelines (requirements) necessary to get a link on the town's website. Please state who decides whether one has met those guidelines (requirements)."

As of today, Town Tec has not responded to what the guidelines are for getting a coveted link on the Town of Kearny's official website.

Let us know what you think the guidelines should be for getting a link on the town's website. Join the Discussion.